Bill DeLongis | Exploring the Sport of Ice Hockey

In the "SEC of Division III," championships and high standards define the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC). Now in his 10th year at Trinity College, Bill DeLongis reinforces high performance is not about scholarships — it’s about culture, strategy, and buy-in. DeLongis outlines how small-school strength coaches manage high athlete-to-staff ratios, maximize resources, and create top-tier training environments despite fewer external incentives. He discusses Trinity College’s sport science partnerships, the power of internship-driven staffing, and why Division III athletes who are playing purely for the love of the game bring a unique level of motivation. Embodying immersive coaching, he explains how experiencing a sport firsthand (through playing, site visits, and athlete surveys) enhances training specificity and buy-in. As Chair of the NSCA Ice Hockey Special Interest Group (SIG), he shares strength strategies, lessons from Team USA Women’s Hockey, and key NSCA resources. His approach proves that any program can compete at the top — with or without scholarships.

Connect with Coach DeLongis on Instagram: @billdelongis, LinkedIn: @bill-delongis, or email: bill.delongis@trincoll.edu| Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs and LinkedIn: @ericmcmahoncscs

Join DeLongis and other experts across sports and performance domains in the NSCA’s community-driven Special Interest Groups (SIGs) today.

Take your sport-specific knowledge a step further with NSCA’s Strength Training for Hockey.

Show Notes

“The athletes are not on an athletic scholarship, as probably most people know. They're playing the sport for the love of the game. They're very motivated. They want to be here. There's nothing really holding them. There's no NIL [Name, Image, and Likeness] money. There's no scholarship over their head. They're playing it and training because they love their sport.” 3:25

“That's 30 different cultures, obviously, more than 30 personalities. Every team has got their vibe and their style of training. So, you do get a lot of reps. You get to see a lot of different programming, work with a lot of different personalities.” 7:20

“That would be something I would recommend to anyone taking over a new sport is play the sport, and obviously, you might not play it at a super high level like I am playing at the lowest level you can play in men's league hockey in the state of Connecticut. But I'm out there. I'm experiencing it. I'm feeling what they're feeling. And then when we get on the ice, we'd be able to do our speed work or our conditioning work. I'm actually out there on skates, which I think really helps with a lot of the buy-in. It’s like, ‘All right, this guy cares. He is taking it upon himself to learn our sport, which is so different.’” 19:40